Apparatus for making cable harnesses

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an apparatus for making cable harnesses having a formboard onto which routing means, such as connector housings cavities, routing aids, etc., can be attached which hold, respectively, guide the wires while the cable harness is being assembled. 
     The present invention is distinguished in that an ejection plate which can be moved away from the formboard in order to eject said cable harness is disposed on the front side of said formboard, and that the routing means can be attached onto the formboard through holes in the ejection plate.

DESCRIPTION

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for making cable harnesseshaving a formboard onto which routing means can be attached, such asconnector housing cavities. routing aids, etc., which, respectivelyguide, the wires while the cable harness is being assembled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many different known attempts at manufacturing cable harnessesautomatically, which have hitherto been fabricated predominantly byhand.

In the presently promising pilot automatic cable harness fabricationsystems, formboards of the type set forth in the characterizing part ofclaim 1 hereto and one or more industrial robots are utilized whichroute the wires between the individual connector housing cavities on theformboard with routing and/or contacting tools of various design. The"shape" of the cable harness is determined by the so-called routing aidswhich may be designed as guiding and/or bundling means.

The hitherto known proposals for the automatic production of cableharnesses are concerned with routing the wires, fastening (contacting)the wires in the connector housing cavities, respectively sheathing theindividual subbranches of the cable harness. In this case, followingassemblage, the cable harnesses are removed from the formboard by anindustrial robot or a handling device. This is a relatively timeconsuming procedure as the industrial robot does not only have to changesuited tools but also has to remove the individual subbranches of thecable harness singly from the routing aid.

In the older application P 38 27 010.7, therefore, to which the presentapplication is a patent of addition, a solution is described permittingsimple automatic removal of the assembled cable harness from theformboard together with the routing means, such as connector housingcavities, routing aids, etc., which, respectively guide, the wires whilethe cable harness is being assembled.

The solution described in the present application is particularlyadvantageous if the cable harnesses are fabricated as "individualpieces" or if the routing aids are to remain on the cable harnesses asassembly aids as in each instance the routing means will be removedtogether with the cable harness. This, however, is no problem in theindividual fabrication of cable harnesses as the formboard has to be"loaded" anew anyway prior to the fabrication of the individual cableharnesses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to improve an apparatus for makingcable harnesses having a formboard onto which routing means, such asconnector housing cavities, routing aids, etc. can be mounted, in such amanner that the finished assembled cable harness can be automaticallyremoved without also having to remove the routing means at the sametime.

A solution to this object in accordance with the present invention withits further developments is set forth in the claims hereto.

The present invention is based on the fundamental concept that removalof a finished assembled cable harness from a formboard with anindustrial robot is very time consuming: by way of illustration theindustrial robot would have to "approach" every single connector housingcavity on the each subbranch of the cable harness, remove the connectorhousing from the cavity, then grasp the cable harness at a central pointand remove it from the formboard: then, in particular, if subsequently adifferent type cable harness is to be fabricated, the industrial robotwould have to remove all the routing means, such as connector housingcavities, routing aids, etc.

An inventive element is therefore that a (central) ejection unit isprovided which, in order to remove the cable harness following that partof the fabrication process that is performed on the formboard, releasesthe connection between the routing means, such as by way of illustrationconnector housing cavities, routing aids, etc., and the cable harness,respectively the connector housings attached thereon in such a mannerthat they are slipped off the formboard.

For this purpose, an ejection plate which can be moved in order to ejectthe cable harness from the formboard is disposed on the front side ofthe formboard.

The ejection unit provided in accordance with the present inventionpermits very easy removal of the cable harnesses from the formboard and,by way of illustration, to carry them on a conveyor belt, respectively atransport means, to the next station, by way of illustration finalassemblage, a control station or the like.

Furthermore, the "central ejection unit" provided in accordance to thepresent invention permits slipping cable harnesses of different sizesand configurations very quickly and simply off the formboard. Thisprocedure takes substantially less time than, by way of illustration,having an industrial robot remove the cable harness.

Further developments of the present invention are set forth in thesubclaims hereto.

The routing means can be connected to the formboard in many differentways, with coupling connections, in particular, being preferred whichcan be released by a central ejection unit. Coupling connections of thistype can be realized, by way of illustration, by means of magnetic oradhesive forces, etc.

According to claim 2, the routing means can be locked into openings inthe formboard by means of clips through holes in the ejection plate.Furthermore, a slip-off plate which can be pressed between the clips andthe formboard in order to release the lock connection is disposed on therear side of the formboard.

This slip-off plate, respectively slip-off unit, may, of course, bedisposed in the routing station so that the routing means can be removedimmediately after routing and contacting the individual wires withoutthe formboard "changing place". However, the ejection unit, i.e. theslip-off plate for the routing means, may also be disposed in anejection station into which the formboard can be conveyed from therouting station by way of a transport means, by way of illustration aroller conveyor or the like.

The further development according to claim 2 is advantageous, inparticular, if the cable harnesses are to be fabricated fullyautomatically in small lots and random cable configurations.

As in this development not only the cable harness, but in addition alsothe routing means can be removed in a single step, the inventedformboard can be adapted fully automatically specifically for thevariant by an industrial robot:

Following the assemblage of a cable harness lot not only the "last cableharness of this lot" is removed fully automatically from the formboard,but also the routing means. This occurs simultaneously for all thefastening elements, respectively routing means. In the event of animpending variant change the routing aids positioned by the industrialrobot can thus also be ejected from the formboard automatically andpractically simultaneously with the ejection of the cable harness sothat the time consumed for the change procedure is substantiallyreduced.

In the embodiment according to claim 3, the routing means are providedwith an extension which engages in a formfitting manner into theopenings in the formboard yielding an especially firm fit.

A further development is described in claim 4 in which piston/cylinderunits are provided which are supported by the formboard and which movethe ejection plate and, if need be, the slip-off plate in relation tothe formboard. This embodiment simplifies construction even more.

In the further development described in claim 5, connector housingcavities from which the connector housings can be ejected with separatepiston/cylinder units are provided on at least one side of theformboard. This solution has the advantage, in particular, if onlyrouting, respectively bundling aids are disposed on the formboard, thatthe mechanical stress occurring due to the ejection of the connectorhousing from the respective cavity does not have to be absorbed by theslip-off plate for the cable harness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention is made more apparent in the following sectionusing preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawingby way of illustration without the intention of limiting the overallinventive idea. It is expressly pointed out that this drawing is to bereferred to for the disclosure of all the invented details not made moreapparent in the text hereto.

FIG. 1a shows a top view of an invented formboard,

FIG. 1b shows a section through a formboard,

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a detail of FIG. 1b.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As FIG. 1 shows, the formboard (1) has numerous holes (8) with aspecific grid into which the routing means, such as connector housingcavities or (preferably only) routing aids, respectively bundling aids(6) can be inserted by means of clips (7).

FIG. 2 shows that the routing means (6), that is by way of illustrationthe connector housing cavities and the routing aids are not onlyprovided with clips (7) which are inserted through the holes (8) of theformboard. In addition a surrounding collar (15) is providedestablishing a firm locking connection between the formboard (1) and therouting means in the "transverse direction".

Disposed before the formboard (1) is a slip-off plate (2) for theassembled cable harness. This slip-off plate (2) also has holescorresponding to holes (8) through which the routing means can beattached to the formboard (1). The ejection movement of the slip-offplate (2) away from the formboard (1) by means of which a finishedassembled cable harness is released from the routing means (6) isrealized with the aid of pneumatic cylinders (4).

Provided behind the formboard (1) is an ejection plate (3) for therouting means. This ejection plate (3) can press against clips (7) andin this manner "unlock" the routing means (6). The ejection movement ofthe ejection plate (3) toward the formboard (1) is carried out with theaid of the pneumatic cylinders (5).

Furthermore, in the depicted preferred embodiment connector housingcavity panels (12) are provided for the connector housings (13) on oneside of the formboard, whereas on the actual formboard are only routing,respectively bundling, aids (6). The connector housings (13) can beejected from the cavity panels (12) by means of the pneumatic cylinder(14). In this way the connector housings do not have to be ejected bythe movement of the slip-off plate (2) thus facilitating the mechanicalmovement.

The manner of operation of the invented formboard is described in thefollowing:

A not illustrated industrial robot mounts routing means (6) onto theformboard (1) in accordance with the geometric configuration of thecable harness with an appropriate tool. This is done in that theindustrial robot inserts the clips (7) on the routing means (6) into theattachment slots (8). By means of the clips (7) they automatically lockinto the base plate. The surrounding collar (15) at the routing means(6) ensures that the routing means (6) can absorb transverse forcesgenerated by the routing procedure. Furthermore, the industrial robotmounts the required connector housings (13) onto the cavity panels (12).

Following assemblage of the cable harness (10), it can be ejectedautomatically out of the routing and bundling means (6), which can alsoserve as holding elements, by means of a movement of the slip-off plate(2) away from the formboard (1). This is realized by the cable harness(10) being pressed out of the holding ring of the routing aids withoutfail by means of a relative movement of the slip-off plate (2) and therouting aid (6). Simultaneously the connector housings (13) are ejectedfrom the cavity panels (12) by means of a movement of the pneumaticcylinders (14).

If a cable harness with a new geometric configuration is to beassembled, the routing aids can also be removed from the formboard (1)with the aid of the slip-off plate (3).

The ejected routing aids can, e.g., be transported to a holding station,from where an industrial robot can take them up once more, by means of anot depicted material flow system.

In the present invention has been described herein using a preferredembodiment without the intention of limiting the scope or spirit of theoverall inventive idea, within which there are, of course, manydifferent modifications possible:

Thus the preferred coupling connection between the routing means and theformboard is by no means limited to clips. Of course, other connections,by way of illustration connections based on magnetic forces, etc. canalso be employed.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for making cable harnesses,comprising:a formboard onto which routing devices such as connectorhousing cavities, routing aids and the like can be attached for holdingand guiding wires during assembly thereof into a cable harness, and aslip-off plate disposed between the formboard and a cable harness duringassembly thereof, said slipoff plate including holes for accommodatingattachment of said routing devices to the formboard, and a slip-offplate moving apparatus for moving the slip-off plate away from theformboard to thereby eject an assembled cable harness from the cablerouting devices, wherein at least one side of said formboard hasconnector housing cavities from which the connector housing can beejected;. and further comprising piston/cylinder units separate from theslip-off plate moving apparatus and operatively coupled to the connectorhousing to eject the connector housing from the connector housingcavities.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising anejection plate disposed at a side of the form-board opposite theform-board side facing the slip-off plate,wherein said routing devicesare selectively lockable in openings in said form-board by clips whichare passed through said holes in the slip-off plate, and wherein saidejection plate is movably supported to be selectively pressed againstthe clips to release the locking connection of the clips to theform-board.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said routingmeans have an extension which engages in a form-fitting manner into theopenings in said formboard.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 3,wherein piston/cylinder units are provided which are supported by saidformboard and move at least one of said slip-off plate and said ejectionplate relative to said formboard.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 2,wherein piston/cylinder units are provided which are supported by saidformboard and move at least one of said slip-off plate and said ejectionplate relative to said formboard.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 2,wherein piston/cylinder units are provided which are supported by saidformboard and move at least one of said slip-off plate and said ejectionplate relative to said formboard.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 1,wherein only routing, respectively, bundling aids are provided on saidformboard.